Defensive lapse a concern as push toward the playoffs continue

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Columbus Crew met two of their three main objectives in Saturday's 3-2 win over Philadelphia, but the one that got away is troublesome.

First, they got the three points and kept the pressure on the teams above them in the playoff chase. Also, their offensive output – equal to the club's goal total in the previous four games combined – could play an important factor in the case the first standings tiebreaker (goals scored) comes into play.

But allowing a pair of goals after building a 2-0 first-half advantage on a pair of Jairo Arrieta tallies left Crew defenders disappointed and didn't quite help in the goal differential department: the second standings tiebreaker.

“You look at the win first, but there’s definitely stuff we need to sort out,” captain and center back Chad Marshall told MLSsoccer.com after the game. “We didn’t play well in the second half. You don’t want to give up a two-goal lead for sure.”

A controversial game-winner by Milovan Mirosevic in the 87th minute – replays showed he was offside on the play – enabled the Crew (14-11-6, 48 points) to remain just one point behind fifth-place Houston for the final Eastern Conference postseason spot with three games left. Columbus are also three points behind fourth-place D.C. United.

However, by not clamping down on the Union, the Crew’s goal differential improved only slightly – Columbus have scored 39 goals and conceded just as many -- while Houston and D.C. United, who have scored more goals than the Crew, are in the black by seven and eight goals respectively.